Thursday, February 17, 2005

IMAGE COMICS FOR MAY

Following are Image Comics' solicitations for May, with information coming the publisher.

GIRLS #1

Written by Joshua Luna, art and cover by Jonathan Luna.

Ethan Daniels is a typical bachelor who suffers from one, infallible truth: dealing with the opposite sex can be complicated. One night, he bumps into a mysterious woman who will change his life... and maybe even the world.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 25.

SHADOWHAWK #1

Written by Jim Valentino and Jim Keplinger, art and cover by Carlos Rodriguez and Albert Puig.

A whole new era begins here. When Eddie Collins and his father moved to New York, Eddie was given a mystical helmet and became the last in a line of legendary heroes dating back to Ancient Egypt. But does even ShadowHawk have the power to stop the man called BackLight? Even if he does, a new mystery waits in the wings as a mysterious talker attempts to uncover ShadowHawk's secret identity. Plus: A former hero awakens from a deep comaand goes mad.

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 4.

COMMON FOE #1

Written by Keith Giffen and Shannon Denton, art by Jean-Jacques Dzialowski, cover by Esad Ribic.

World War II. Amid the blood and chaos of the Battle of the Bulge, a battered squad of American soldiers and a platoon of German infantry do everything they can to rip each other to shreds. But to survive the night, the two enemies must come together and unite against an ancient evil hell bent on destroying everything in its path.

32 pages, $3.50, in stores on May 11.

DAWN 2005 CONVENTION SKETCHBOOK

By Joseph Michael Linsner.

Everyone's favorite Goddess returns to dazzle the eye in an all-new convention sketchbook. Dawn as a fairy, Dawn as a mermaid, Dawn as a sex kitten­many faces of feminine beauty are on display in this 32-page collection of jaw dropping full-color Linsner paintings and sketches produced for commissions and conventions. Features exclusive commentary by Lisner.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 4.

EARTHBOY JACOBOUS GN

Written, art and cover by Doug Tennapel.

Chief Edwards retires from the Modesto Police Department a lonely man. On his way home he hits a flying whale with his car, opening the beast's mouth to find a boy from a parallel universe named Jacobus. Chief discovers that a society of insect monsters want to kill this boy due to a mysterious virus that grows on his hand. The Chief becomes a father figure to the boy and trains him how to survive insect monsters by becoming a great American ass-kicker.

272 pages, $17.95, in stores on May 18.

FELT: TRUE TALES OF UNDERGROUND HIP HOP

Written and illustrated by Jim Mahfood, cover by Mahfood and Jose Garibaldi.

Slug (from the group Atmosphere) and Murs (from Living Legends) are two of the hottest rappers in the underground hip hop scene today. Felt is a one-shot comic that acts as a visual interpretation of their new collaborative album under the same name. But you don't have to buy the new album to dig this book! Cartoonist Jim Mahfood turns tunes from the new record into funny and clever comic strips with topics ranging from bar fights, to break-ups, to making art, to dirty girls! This is a truly interesting and unique comics experience sure to please music and non-music fans alike.

32 pages, black and white, $2.95.

HERO CAMP #1

Written by Greg Thompson, art and cover by Robbi Rodriguez.

Eric Quinlan is an average kid whose life is turned upside down when his super-powered parents send him to a summer camp for teenagers with powers. Eric finds himself lost in the woods of Camp Enokchuk, being stalked by three super-villains who believe he really does have super-powers.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 18.

NYC MECH: BETA LOVE #1

Written by Ivan Brandon and Miles Gunter, art by Andy McDonald, cover by Eric Canete.

Quentin keeps out of trouble, driving a bus that takes him nowhere...until a standard route brings the excitement he's always wanted at the risk of his life. With the world speeding by and control slipping out of his fingers, Quentin finds love at the wrong end of a gun.

32 pages, $3.50, in stores on May 4.

PVP #0

Written, art and cover by Scott Kurtz.

The time of the old-guard newspaper comic strip has come to an end. It's time for an all-new, all-different comic strip to bring the funny back to the funny pages. No cynicism, no lasagna and no jokes about fitting into bathing suits. PvP is here to kick the funny pages straight in the groin. This 16-page primer is only 50 cents and a perfect opportunity to try PvP for the first time.

16 pages, black and white, 50 cents, in stores on May 25.

THE STARDUST KID #1

Written by J.M. DeMatteis, art and cover by Mike Ploog.

The creative team of the critically-acclaimed series, Abadazad, reunite in this new original fantasy story destined to become an instant classic. Last night, when Cody DiMarco went to bed, life was the same as it's always been. This morning, when he woke up, the world he knew...was gone.

32 pages, $3.50, in stores on May 18.

DEEP SLEEPER TP

Written by Phil Hester, art and cover by Mike Huddleston.

Cole Gibson is haunted by vivid and terrifying nightmares that cripple his career and alienate his family. He soon discovers his dreams are merely doorways into a separate, hidden level of reality populated by beings beyond imagining. The menacing forces lurking in this realm crave one prize above all -- Cole Gibson's soul. This trade paperback collects every issue of the hard-to-find, critically acclaimed miniseries by the creators of The Coffin, plus a sketchbook section, all-star pinups and the short story prequel, "The Vacant."

144 pages, black and white, $12.95, in stores on May 4.

SLOP: ANACLETA TP

Written, art and cover by Dave Crosland and Debbie.

This digest-sized volume is a collection of short stories from underground kingpin Dave Crosland and his partner in crime, Debbie The book culls the best stories from the five-year run of their out-of-print mini-comic, Slop, including the Zine Yearbook Award-winning "Patience Gets You Nowhere, Tolerance Gets You Hurt." It also contains original pinups and rare sketchwork from their art book, Acid Bomb, monthly Slop comic strips that appeared on tlchicken.com and all sorts of never-before-seen doodles and goodies. As if that wasn't enough, Slop: Anacleta is rounded out by four brand new, mind-blowing comic shorts. It's all the humor, drama and social commentary these tenacious Ds could muster, finally collected and available to the worldwide masses!

144 pages, black and white, $12.99, in stores on May 25.

ARMOR X #3

Written by Keith Champagne, art and cover by Andy Smith, back cover by Jeff Johnson.

While Carson continues using the power of the armor to recklessly fulfill his wildest dreams, the armor slowly begins to twist Carson's mind to suit its own mysterious needs. Meanwhile, as Detective Hill closes in, the secrets of his true mission begin spilling out...with possibly deadly consequences for Whitney, Carson's unrequited love.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 11.

BURGLAR BILL #5

Written, art and cover by Paul Grist.

Everyone's after Burglar Bill and he never did anything wrong in the first place. Well, except for that whole burglar thing... Wybourn is a thief. A scoundrel. A liar. And right now he's in big trouble. Two nights ago he stole a car radio - and now the owners have tracked him down and they want their property back. Only Wybourn doesn't have it anymore. If he's going to get it back, then he'll have to burgle the offices of the local newspaper. And Wybourn doesn't do burglary. But he knows a man who does... This issue is an all-new, previously unpublished Burglar Bill story!

32 pages, black and white, $2.95, in stores on May 11.

CASE FILES: SAM & TWITCH #20

Written by Marc Andreyko, art by Greg Scott, cover by Greg Capullo.

"Fathers And Daughters," part one. Twitch's youngest child -- and millions like her around the world -- love the movies, music and clothes of six-year-old starlet Lacey Ann Lions. But when a horrific tragedy befalls Lacey and her movie-mogul parents, Twitch is flooded with memories of his own lost daughter, Lauren. Can Twitch keep it together through this gruesome case? And can the person who committed such an atrocity be brought down?

32 pages, black and white, $2.50, in stores on May 11.

FREEDOM FORCE #5

Written by Eric Dieter, art and cover by Tom Scioli.

"Forbidden Fruit." Penultimate issue. When a mysterious floating island appears in the skies above Patriot City, Freedom Force is called into action to prevent the mesmerized female populace from being transformed into the willing servants of a nefarious goat-footed demigod. Even if the team can somehow overcome the awesome powers of the pipe-playing Pan, can they survive a betrayal by one of their own?

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 18.

THE IMAGINARIES #3

Written by Ben Avery, art and cover by Mike S. Miller and Gregory Titus.

When his creator grew up, Superhero G was forgotten and sent to the Imagined Nation. Now, donning the secret identity of George, Superhero G as found himself playing the role of superhero: righting wrongs and helping the people of the city, who are oppressed by the Ice Queen's dictatorial regime. But as Superhero G's first day in the Imagined Nation come to a close, he finds himself resolved even more to find a way to reunite with his creator. Because as night comes to the city, Superhero G finds himself facing something he has never had to face before: being alone.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 18.

INVINCIBLE #24

Written by Robert Kirkman, art and cover by Ryan Ottley and Bill Crabtree.

Picking up right where the 50˘ issue #0 left off! Mark and Amber have come to a new understanding, things are different and now theyıre left wondering what's next for them. Meanwhile, something is happening in deep space. Luckily, Allen the Alien is on hand to deal with it­but will he be enough?

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 11.

LULLABY: WISDOM SEEKER #4

Written by Mike S. Miller and Ben Avery, art and cover by Hector Sevilla.

"Wisdom Seeker," Part Four. Lullaby comes to a dramatic conclusion as Jim and Pinocchio finally come face to face with Alice, the Piper, Red Riding Hood and Cheshire Cat. A bond is formed quickly, not only because both groups are heading toward Oz, but also because they share a common menace. A menace that threatens everyone... Oz's own Tin Man. But just as everything else has been twisted and bent in this fairy tale world so has the Tin Man. Can the newly formed fellowship stand against the lumbering, steam powered giant, or will this be the end of the journey for our heroes?

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 4.

NIGHT CLUB #2

Written by Mike Baron, art and cover by Mike Norton.

"Junkyard Apocalypse." Annie sees the future. Walter talks with God. Jerry makes machines mutate and grow. And Jack? Nobody knows exactly what Jack does. The apocalypse begins not in heaven, but in New England. On July 2nd, in a Boston junkyard, these four makeshift heroes must defeat a battalion of lost souls to stop the devil's reign on earth.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 11.

NOBLE CAUSES #11

Written by Jay Faerber, art and cover by Fran Bueno.

The issue everything's been building towards! Will Doc regain his old body? Will Celeste's new, heroic attitude stick? Will Rusty ever be found? Will Frost keep Cosmic Rae's secret? All those questions­and more­will be answered.

32 pages, $3.50, in stores on May 18.

THE ORIGINAL ADVENTURES OF CHOLLY & FLYTRAP #2

Written, art and cover by Arthur Suydam.

"The Rites Of Spring." Finally -- the inspiration for the new animation pilot from Paranoid Delusions Productions! Featuring riveting high-definition tales of Suydam's ultimate anti-heroes, Cholly and Flytrap, the story continues from last issue as Cholly battles the two headed beast that...figures things out, shall we say... the "Monty Python" way! Presented with action-packed hilarity and pacing that is surreal and familiar all at the same time, "The Rites of Spring" and "The End" are terrifyingly funny chapters of action and adventure from a master storyteller with a truly unique point of view.

32 pages, $3.50, in stores on May 25.

THE PACT #2

Written by Jay Faerber, cover by Carlo Barberi and Juan Vlasco.

Is it too much to ask for our four young heroes to enjoy some downtime, hanging out in the Noble family's vacation home on the moon? Apparently, it is, because instead of doing just that, they're racing to prevent a giant asteroid from crashing into the Earth! Who will rise to the challenge? Who will crack under pressure?

32 pages, $2.99, in stores on May 11.

SAVAGE DRAGON #125

Written, art and cover by Erik Larsen.

"Falling Apart," Part Two: "Shattered." The Dragon fights his most devastating battle ever! Now, barely clinging to life, his regenerating abilities gone, things couldnıt be much more desperate! Enter: the Fly! Meanwhile, Mister Glum prepares to take over the planet Earth! Plus: whatever other goodies we can cram into this giant-sized anniversary issue! Not to be missed.

64 pages, $4.95, in stores on May 25.

SEA OF RED #3

Story and script by Rick Remender, story and breakdowns by Kieron Dwyer, finishes, color washes and cover by Salgood Sam.

On their journey to discover Blackthroat, Marco and Director Joel Cameron's crew end up on a dark island in the heart of the Bermuda Triangle. Plotting to fuel Marco's thirst for revenge, Cameron hatches a trap with Jeanine's life in the balance. As the small crew turns on one another they soon learn that this island is not as deserted as it seems; it is home to an ancient clan of vampires whose dark secret has ramifications for all of humanity.

32 pages, $2.95, in stores on May 25.

SPAWN #146

Written by Brian Holguin and Todd McFarlane, art by Angel Medina and Danny Miki, cover by Greg Capullo.

"Destination Anywhere," Part Two. Something has drawn Al Simmons to a small New England town, a seemingly idyllic community. He soon discovers that beneath its picturesque surface the town hides a dark secret­a yearly ritual in which an innocent is sacrificed and an infernal price is paid. Delving into the village's shadowy past, the Hellspawn uncovers a secret pact that goes back almost to the dawn of creation... and learns of an unexpected bargain between Heaven and Hell.

32 pages, $2.50, in stores on May 25.

THE WALKING DEAD #20

Written by Robert Kirkman, art by Charlie Adlard, cover by Tony Moore.

After the earth shattering events of past issues, Lori is left dealing with the choices sheıs made and the events that have transpired of no fault of her own. Meanwhile steps are made to turn the prison into a home. Things are winding down and life is becoming more bearable. If only they could forget what they just went through.

32 pages, black and white, $2.95, in stores on May 11.

TOP COW TITLES

HUNTER-KILLER #3

Written by Mark Waid, penciled by Marc Silvestri, inked by Joe B. Weems, colored by Steve Firchow, cover by Silvestri.

Another rogue Ultra-Sapien is on the looseand the Hunter-Killer program has no choice but to send rookie Ellis into the field to handle him, despite the risk! For if Wolf finds Ellis before the mission's over, the two men could team to bring the entire program down.

Lionel Zerb continues to hunt down and analyze ghosts in this new series in the Rising Stars universe. Lionel's latest case gives him a unique point of view, but sends his clients screaming. All the while, Lionel draws closer and closer to a force greater than he ever imagined! Great new Rising Stars action is brought to you by Fiona Avery and Staz Johnson.

32 pages, $2.99.

WITCHBLADE #86

Written by Ron Marz, art Keu Cha, cover by Adam Hughes.

"Warrior Spirit." In the self-contained issue, Sara Pezzini's first day back on the job as a New York City police detective is anything but business as usual. Sara is called in when a mysterious murder takes place at the American Museum of Natural History, but are the goings-on truly ghostly, or is something far more sinister at work? Keu Cha provides painted art, while Adam Hughes takes over the cover duties.

32 pages, $2.99.

CITY OF HEROES #1

Written by Mark Waid, penciled by David Nakayama, colored by Sonia Oback, covers by Rodolfo Migliari, Dale Keown and George Pérez.

"Hard Crash," part 1 of 3. Paragon City is a Silver-Age superheroic wonderlanduntil the reality and terrors of the modern age catch up to its defenders in one awful and shocking moment! Now the defenders of Paragon will find out once and for all what a real hero is in today's world! Noted superhero writer Mark Waid brings you the action, with Kubert School grad and Wizard contest winner David Nakayama on art.

32 pages, $2.99.

TOMB RAIDER VS. THE WOLF-MEN: MONSTER WAR #2

Written by Chris Golden and Tom Sniegoski, art by Joyce Chin, colored by Scott Kester, cover by Joyce Chin and Eric Basaldua.

The Magdalena has been infected by the bite of Dracula, and is slowly becoming one of the undead. Itıs up to Tomb Raider Lara Croft and the mysterious Dr. Jekyll to search out the only know cure in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, where they do battle with a savage pack of Wolf-Men! Meanwhile, the monstrous Mr. Hyde moves ahead in his insidious plans to bring about the apocalypse. And donıt miss next monthıs chapter: Witchblade vs. Frankenstein's Monster.

32 pages, $2.99.

BATTLE OF THE PLANETS VOL. 3 DIGEST TRADE PAPERBACK: PRINCESS

Written by David Wohl, art by Wilson Tortosa, cover by Alex Ross.

Follow Princess of G-Force as she leaves the team, battles the Charioteers of Chongu, and gets reunited with her G-Force mates in this thrilling six-issue mini-series. Also included: Battle of the Planets #1/2 and the Battlebook! Eight issues in one great package at one low price.

Come along for the ride of a lifetime13 years worth of Top Cow art and history, all presented in a magnificent coffee table book format! This tome is lavishly illustrated with the best of Top Cowıs art from over a decade of publishing, plus never-before-seen photographs and behind-the-scenes stories of the rise of Top Cow.